Beyond Optimism

Among the presentations at the

Chapter most significant was that of Bishop

José Rodriguez Carballo, Secretary of the

Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated

Life and Societies of Apostolic life. “If you

were to ask me”, he said during the homily

at Mass, “if I am optimistic about the future

of Consecrated Life I would say no. But if

you were to ask me if I have hope for its

future, I would certainly say yes”. Optimism,

he noted, is a dimension that is based on

human consideration, while hope is rooted

in faith and gives us the certainty that for

God “nothing is impossible”, and because of

this we should not fear.

Hope is a choice in favor of God, not of

ourselves. It is about changing the focus of

leadership. Our strength does not lie in

“chariots and horses”, as expressed in the

Bible, but in the strength of Him who is Love

and who has guaranteed that “He will be

with us forever”. This view of a deep, wide

faith sustains and accompanies our steps

on a journey of faith and complete

entrustment. This is why we continue to

commit energy, resources, and our very life

to carry out responsibly what God wants

from us. Despite the many challenges and

inevitable failures.

The times in which we live cause us to enter

into this perspective, which in many ways

goes against the tide and puts us in an

alternative that is not easily understood by

many, even believers. Then, perhaps we,

too, have hidden doubts!

Of Don Bosco, and Mother Mazzarello, it

was said that they knew how to “hope

against all hope”. They were not

disappointed. They looked for ways to

educate young people to hope and with

hope, sustaining that this was a

fundamental gift for those who lived with

them.

Educating to hope means acting in such a

way that the young person has broad

horizons, that they may lean on the

confidence in life and in others, with a

positive attitude when meeting reality.

Educating to hope is also training the new

generations to acquire a very necessary

characteristic for today: resilience, “the art

of getting back in the boat”, the capacity to

face adversity and obstacles without

succumbing to them.

Pope Francis indicates to us a few

fundamental pillars to educate to hope: Do

not lose the memory of the past, the

discernment of the present, the

management of dreams. The journey is not

easy. Paul VI spoke of hope as the

“crossroad, the point of encounter between

the cross and joy”. We are called to be

women of hope, more than of optimism,

making the conscious choice each day,

even though we know that as Mother

Angela Vallese reminds us, “we are not

angels, and though we have made

promises, we will still fall”.”What is important

is to rise and begin again, like from the

beginning.”

Always in the certainty that “walking and

hoping are synonymous”, as the Holy

Father reminds us.

gteruggi@cgfma.org

WORDS AND GESTURES OF HOPE

Martha Séïde, Julia Arcinie

In a society frequently defined as

“liquid”, where all seems to be relative

without certainty of the future, defined

by some scholars as “the era of sad

passions”, hope emerges like a

challenge that “not only opens future,

unexpected horizons, but allows also for

a different present”. (cf Spe Salvi, 2-3).

A look at today’s reality, with its

achievements and disappointments,

gestures for good and existential

inconsistencies, the very concept of

hope seems to be undermined. Yet

these contrasts are strong appeals to dig

into the depths of reality places that are

increasingly open to hope. One can point

out some aspects among those that are

most relevant: dialogue among different

religions, negotiations for a lasting

peace between nations in conflict, ever

more tenacious efforts to resolve the

great evils that afflict the most

vulnerable populations, massive media

campaigns in favor of life, technological

breakthroughs that bring different

worlds together.

So as not to fall into an anxious

pessimism, one that looks for immediate

results, thus losing the sense of Gospel

expectation, it is necessary to trust in

the “little sister” who is, according to the

French poet Charles Péguy, precisely

hope.

The “little sister, hope”

"It is she, this little one , who moves forward

all things, sees what will be, loves that

which is not yet, but will be in time and

eternity” (Péguy). The poet was certainly

right, because hope is not the virtue of the

strong, but of those who are weak. The

weak, the little ones know that they cannot

count only on their own strength, but must

trust in God. The Bible, in fact, has many

pages that tell of the strength of weakness

transformed by the power of God. It is

enough to think of a few figures like Moses,

not very good at leading discussions; David,

the last of the sons of Jesse, ignored and

forgotten even by his father; Ruth, Esther,

Judith, and other women who were thought

to be “weak” and marginalized from the rest

of society; Jeremiah, young, stutterer, and

timid; Mary, a humble young girl from

Nazareth…All experienced the faithful love

of God who brought to fruition their

littleness, carrying out His promise,

confirming the certainty of the hope that

never disappoints.

Jesus, source of our hope

“Jesus Christ, our hope” (1Tm 1, 1) is the

expression by which Paul describes the

source of Christian hope. If we peruse the

Gospel we realize how Jesus acted with

regard to the men and women who

entrusted him their small and great hopes.

While answering their questions on life,

freedom, dignity, He invited them to the

discovery of the Great Hope, which finds

fulfillment in the Paschal Mystery. In reality,

To understand the depth of the experience

of Jesus as the source of hope, it is

necessary to contemplate Him, not only in

moments of glory when he performed

miracles and drew great crowds, but

especially when, at the height of His

passion, He remained alone, rejected by the

those on earth and alien to heaven, to the

point of crying out, "My God, my God, why

have you forsaken me?" (Mk 15, 34). Jesus

forsaken, with this cry, gives voice to each

of us and shows how those who are

infinitely small can turn to the One who is

infinitely great, to question Him in a

relationship of equality.

The Crucified and Risen Christ, therefore, is

the only person who can teach believers

adequate ways in which to live in our world

with hope. All our dramas, failures and our

small victories are related to the death and

resurrection of Jesus, and only there do

they make sense (cf IEC, Reflection in

preparation for the Congress of Verona, 2).

The

testimony of Jesus, the Crucified and Risen

One, is an invitation to accept Him as the

source of hope and the foundation of the

commitment of the believer to renew life the

and the world. In a context where horizons

are often uncertain, how can Christian hope

mobilize spiritual energies, purify and guide

fragile hopes , support the times of

disappointment? The answer is clear: it is

necessary to turn our gaze to the Crucified

and Risen Lord to draw from Him new

energies for good, dynamics of

transformation that awaken hope (cf

Working Document for GC XXIII, 8).

“Hope, present in the future”

This is the meaningful expression of St.

Thomas Aquinas: "Hope, present in the

future." In the Gospel we do not find the

word hope, because there is the reality of

Jesus. His words and deeds proclaim the

fulfillment of the Scriptures: the Kingdom of

God is already present, the future becomes

visible in the Word made flesh, the human

face of the compassion and mercy of God

towards the poor and the lost.

The theology of hope was developed by St. Paul, in his letters, putting the focus on its foundation and spiritual dynamism. In theFirst Letter to the Thessalonians (50 AD) Paul notes the three essential coordinates of Christian life: "It is an experience that is born of faith, manifested in love and lived in hope" (cf. 1, 2-3). After describing the dynamics of hope in the

light of the faith of Abraham (cf. Chap. 4),

Paul In the Letter to the Romans, indicates

the circumstances in which the believer

lives this virtue: "We rejoice in hope of the

glory of God. Not only that, but we also

glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation

produces patience, patience of proven

virtue and, hope "(5, 3-4).

The sufferings of this world are like the

moans and the pains that herald a new life.

Not only for humanity, but all creation is

associated with this expectation: "... We

know well that all of creation groans and

suffers the pains of birth to this day " (cf.

8.19 to 22).

Together with the groans of creation, says

Paul, believers also groan in the hope of a

new and different world, one that is freed

and glorious: "It [the creation], is not alone.

But we ourselves, who possess the first

fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we

await our adoption as son and daughters,

the redemption of our body "(8,23 to 24).

Christian hope, however, is not mere

passive waiting, nor convenient escape

from the present, neither is it reduced to an

easy optimism: it is, however, confident and

active presence in the world (Báez 2005).

Its ultimate foundation is, in fact, the love of

God that "has been poured into our hearts

through the Holy Spirit who was given to us"

(5.5). It is the Spirit who "helps us in our weakness and intercedes insistently for us with

unspeakable groaning" (8:26).

A logical consequence of his reflection is Paul’s reference to prayer: it is the expression of a

hope sustained by the Spirit of God, by which we cry, "Abba, Father" (8:15).

The final wish to the Roman faithful, and to us throughout the centuries, contains, like a pearl,

the depth and richness of Pauline thought about hope: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy

and peace in believing, that you may have abundant hope by the power of the Holy Spirit

"(15:13).

Hope, the educator’s virtue

If Christian hope means anticipating the future by relying on a promise that you will not

experience it immediately, it becomes the main virtue of the teachers and educators. Education

is the confident taking a chance on the potential of the student in an accompaniment that is

patient and long, where one will not see the completion but only the promise. In this perspective,

investing in education is a concrete way to make hope credible .

Indeed, "to educate is in itself an act of hope, not only because one educates to build a future,

but above all “because the very act of educating is infused with hope." It is with this hope that

every day teachers "distribute the bread of truth." Educating to hope means making sure that a

young person "has horizons". The memory of the past, discernment of the present, and the

management of dreams are the pillars for educating to hope (Card. Bergoglio).

The educational task becomes increasingly more difficult, and the slowness of growth invites

everyone to follow what Nouwen calls the "path of expectation," that is to wait with a sense of

promise and hope. For this reason, the educator is a person who knows how to give credit to

what is still unseen, like the farmer who plants, irrigates, and cares for the seed that he no

longer sees. The hope of the farmer is in the waiting. Like him, the educator plants, waters, and

cultivates a genuine relationship with the people who are entrusted to his/her responsibility, and

at the same time cultivates within self those great horizons that make him/her a witness of hope

Therefore, the educator is committed on a daily basis to sow words and gestures of hope. It

would be desirable that the educating communities commit themselves to reviewing their

educational action in the light of hope by identifying the seeds, the sins, and the paths of hope

for today. It is also necessary to educate to hope through hope, inspiring trust in life and in the

other person; developing a positive attitude in the face of reality; believing in the potential of the

other and promoting their full development.

The splendor of hope

This is the title of a recently published book ,which gathered the reflections of the "XLIII Semana

Nacional de la Vida Consagrada", promoted by the Instituto Teológico para la Vida Religiosa ,

based in Madrid (Spain). The meeting was held in this city in April 2014. It was an impressive

theme re-establishing the eschatological dimension of the consecrated life in the Church, a

pilgrim in history. Consecrated life came into being, in fact, when Christians began to forget

about the Second Coming and the Spirit

inspired various forms of monasticism in the early centuries of the Christian era. It is a theme

that helps to integrate the difference between the hope of a full life and the precarious

experience of insecurity in the daily life of our communities.

The richness of the reflection, offered from various perspectives, unfolds from the

contextualization of the consecrated life in the present culture, and is of great interest because it

motivates to a more transparent witness on the part of consecrated persons called to generate

life and to give hop.

Our Founders have received a "charism of hope", and they lived it with great daring and

creativity between the 'already and the not yet', handing it down to us so that we may, in turn,

pass it on, renewed and bright, to the new generations of persons consecrated to God in the

Salesian life.

Don Bosco has been called "a prophet of educational hope." The pedagogy of the Preventive

System, in fact, relies on the inner resources of the boys and girls, and it requires a high

percentage of hope on the part of the educator. Even when all seemed lost because some

student did not correspond to the care that was poured out., Don Bosco did not take any hasty

decision; he always hoped. This was his reasoning: "Since there is no ungrateful and barren

ground, which cannot bear results if cared for, that’s how it is with people. True moral land, no

matter how sterile and resistant, if cared for, will sooner or later produce honest thoughts and

then virtuous acts when a director with ardent prayers adds to his efforts God’s hand, in

cultivating it and making it fruitful and beautiful. In every young person, even the most

wretched, there is an accessible point of good. The first duty of the educator is to find this point,

this sensitive chord of the heart and, to profit from it "(MB V, 367).

The eschatological perspective has particular weight in the Preventive System: "I want you to be

happy here and in eternity." The thought of Heaven should always be combined with industrious

commitment, and love of God, full of dynamism and resourcefulness.

On many occasions Don Bosco encouraged his children with phrases filled with this hope that

sustained the present effort: "Bread, work and Paradise" (MB XII, 600); "At the point of death

man will reap the fruits of his good works" (MB III, 587), "A piece of paradise fixes everything"

(MB VIII, 444).

He wanted his children to have an eye turned toward heaven and their feet firmly planted on the

ground, in a journey full of good works anchored to hope. "Come on, then,! Hope sustains us,

when patience would fail us "(MB XII, 458).

Mother Mazzarello, daughter of the fields who grew up in the midst of vineyards, knew very

well what it meant to hope. In contact with the harsh Mornesian soil, proven by the rigor of the

seasons as well as illness and physical weakness, Main knew the desire of waiting, and learned

to face difficulties with healthy realism and the confidence that came from the love of her Lord .

The courage recommended by Don Bosco can be found in her exhortations, and in her Letters

to her daughters near and far as the leitmotif that awakens and maintains a generous response

to love.

To the community of Borgo San Martino she wrote: "Therefore take heart, work willingly for

Jesus and be at peace knowing that

everything you do and suffer you will be well recompensed in Paradise" (26.5 L).

To Sr. Angela Vallese, the young Sister who led the first missionary expedition to America, still

lacking experience and having a great responsibility in a yet unexplored land, Mother

recommended: "Come on then, have great confidence in God ..." and after her signature she

added: "... Do me the favor of keeping them all cheerful, and do so with great courage ...

courage, my good daughters" (L 17,4.6)

To the novice Laura Rodriguez, the first Latin American vocation: "Have courage, after a few

days of battle, we will have heaven forever" (18.3 L).

To Sr. Giovanna Borgna, at that time vicar of the House of Montevideo, "Oh, this life is a

constant battleground, do not tire if you want to earn Paradise. Take heart and have courage

"(19,1 L).

The quotations from the Epistolario could go on and on, but those reported are bearers of

certain constituent elements of Christian hope which, from an educational perspective,

constitute what has been called "a pedagogy of encouragement" (M. Parente 1996).

Words and gestures of hope

Our history is strewn

with witnesses who

embodied the

theological virtue of

hope, and along the

path of life they sowed

it with words and

gestures

Hope will never be

extinguished

In an era when

Christian hope was

regarded as something

obsolete with respect to

various utopias that

seemed to have

effectively influenced a great part of humanity, Paul VI said: "We feel in humanity a painful

need, and, in a sense, a prophetic hope. We cannot live without hope [...]. Well then, friends

who listen to us: we are able to address to you a message of hope [...]. Hope that will never be

extinguished "(cf. Audience of May 27, 1970).

In Him hope has been the crossroads, that is, the meeting point of two great realities: the cross

and joy. For the cross it is sufficient to remember the typical Crucifix of Pope Paul VI, and for the

joy one cannot help but think of his Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete in Domino.

Do not let anyone steal your hope

In a time of crisis, it is a strong message for the thousands of young and not so young, who

struggle every day to have a future. Hope is one of the buzzword

of Pope Francis, a word that echoed from his previous Magisterium as Cardinal of Buenos

Aires. In a book entitled "Beauty will educate the world," which includes various unpublished

speeches pronounced between 2008 and 2011, on several occasions, we read: "We need the

balm of hope to move on." Walking and hoping can actually become synonymous. Setting out

on the way, means entering into a "living hope" which urges us to move forward.

A light in the Strait

Having returned to Punta Arenas on January 1, 1894, Mother Angela Vallese once again set out

by sea for Tales, in the northern part of the country, to establish a new community of Sisters.

She left with three Sisters, leaving behind her beloved Punta Arenas where many illumined

windows now shone in the night.

Certainly she must have looked back with nostalgia to those endless evenings spent piercing

the vast darkness with a lantern shining over the stormy sea, waiting for her companions who

were traveling to come back from the last expedition over the Magellan Strait.

She would wait behind the window pane for hours, imagining the joy of those who were facing

the uncertainty of the waves in seeing the little light in the darkness of the horizon (cf D’Attilio

M., Angela dalla terra del fuoco).

The pastoral proposal of the Marist Brothers of the Mediterranean region is in full harmony with

our reflection and illustrates the characteristics of the gesture of sowing hope. We report here a

fragment

THE GESTURE OF SOWING HOPE

It is an active gesture that invites one to keep on going. The time we live in, urges us onward

to the realization that the time has come, that this is a good time

It is a simple gesture which shows us that small daily actions are an opportunity to sow and

create small changes that contribute to improving our world. This implies that we be consistent

in our daily actions of love, peace, justice, and service.

It is a gesture that implies LIFE. We sow so that there may be new life. We hope that the seed

will grow and bear fruit. Helping it to grow, putting ourselves at the service of others, and giving

priority to human dignity are gestures of the Gospel that liberate us and make us feel ever more

alive.

It is a gratuitous gesture. When the sower sows, he does not hope for anything in return.

What is important is to spread the seed, although he is aware that not all seeds will sprout.

Giveing , sharing, are actions that do not imply a condition of return

mseide@yahoo.com j.arciniegas@cgfma.org

Missionary Spirituality

«Let us run with perseverance, keeping

our eyes fixed on Jesus”

Maike Loes

Sr. Angela Vallese still speaks to us today.

We listen to what she wrote from far away,

cold and unpredictable Patagonia, having

become forever the "blessed" country of her

heart.

Sr. Angela Vallese was a very simple

woman, one who was wise and practical.

She lived in an environment that offered

more thorns than roses. Her letters reveal a

heart in continual pursuit of love, the pursuit

of perfection, the desired goal.

She loved her vocation, a non-negotiable

gift of God's initiative. She was a happy

FMA: "I am more and more happy, day after

day , that I became a Sister of Mary Help of

Christians, especially since I had the good

fortune of having been sent to America. “I

tell you frankly that I would not change my

fate even with the most fortunate queen of

the world." "Pray for me that I may

correspond well not only to my religious

vocation but also to that of missionary."

For Sr. Angela the vocation to consecrated

life was holy and required coherence of life:

“So that I will do first what I tell others, and

thus will correspond to my vocation”. God is

the master of history, and I am fully aware

of this. “All comes from God’s hands; it is

He who allows everything for our good […]

in joys and sorrows, God be praised!”

She understood the brief, transitory nature

of life: “Let us be brave, thinking that life is

short”. “In this world all passes; life is only a

step” “This world is not a permanent place

for us, but only one of passage”.She

understood the brief, transitory nature of life:

“Let us be brave, thinking that life is short”.

“In this world all passes; life is only a step”

“This world is not a permanent place for us,

but only one of passage”.

Sister Angela had her hands and feet on the

earth; she lived a life that was truly

acculturated, while her heart was always

directed toward Heaven: "Our heart is made

for God and it will only find rest in Him." She

completely identified with Patagonia as if it

were her native land. "Sometimes people

ask me how I am health wise and I answer

‘I'm all of Punta Arenas’ ". A universal heart

lived in Sister Angela: "We are here in

America, but sometimes our thoughts fly to

Italy, but we are neither of America nor of

Italy, our true home can be found

everywhere".

For her, heaven was the prize, "where we

will never be separated from one another".

She spoke insistently of Paradise, and lived

striving toward it, without rejecting the cross,

indeed, "the crosses", because "the Lord

has created us to know Him, serve Him,

love Him and then enjoy Him for all

eternity." One must carry the cross with

serenity and patience.little good to these

girls. But even with all this, failure will not be

lacking; our weak nature does not always

win, and sometimes it gives in.”Sister

Angela’s love for her Sisters and her

"pobrecitos" finds its source in the love of

Jesus. She invited all to love Him, and love

Him in her place, because she had an

immense desire for the Infinite. "Love is as

strong as death; love conquers all, because

it can do all things. Love Him a little for me

so that while I tell you I will not remain

behind.

Like Don Bosco, her heart was full of the da

mihi animas cetera tolle "Our Mission is

growing, and the good Lord will send many

consolations after trials, i.e., the grace of

being able to save many souls, indeed, all

the souls of these three countries.” "We

have to care very much for the girls and

assist them well; we need to sacrifice

anything so that assistance is well done.”

She lived God's Will with resignation, not

because of the incapacity to lead, but as an

act of faith. "See how God tests His

servants; after great joy is there is sadness.

May the holy Will of God be done, praised,

forever exalted! "

Sr.Angela’s secret was her life of prayer

united to her enterprising hands. "I'm happy

that [...] all work with good will, and that

work is not lacking for us. It is to be desired

that we will join good prayer to this work,

i.e., the meditation and other works of

piety”. For her the sacraments give "more

strength to overcome difficulties."The spirit

of Mornese transplanted in America by Sr.

Angela Vallese and the first missionaries is

still a beacon for all our communities. “The

Holy Joy and Charity that reigns in the

house makes us enjoy Paradise now.” “In

the religious life much work brings joy and

peace, therefore go forward, always

forward”. “Be humble, obedient, respectful,

and have confidence with your superiors.” “I

suffer when pride and arrogance enter into

our home. To think that Mother Mazzarello

was so humble! Why don’t we imitate her?

... Try to be humble; and you will see that all

will go very well.”

An FMA who keeps her glance fixed on

Jesus is capable of “generously overcoming

every resentment and touchiness”(C.53) in

order to build and rebuild fraternity.

Swallow the bitter and put forth sweetness,

and you will see that the house will go

forward better and with more union and

charity.”

Sr. Angela Vallese, a simple, wise, practical

woman, a woman of what was essential!

“Let us seek to be true Daughters of Mary

Help of Christians”.

Assisted fertilization and

common sense

Rosaria Elefante

One of the most delicate and discussed

argument, at least for people of common

sense, in terms of assisted procreation

remains that of heterogonous procreation. It

is important to remember that one has

assisted fertilization when the male sperm

or the egg used for in vitro conception of a

child, do not belong to one of the parents,

but to a donor outside the couple. The

opposite is the homologous fertilization.

Assisted fertilization bases its reasons on

the alleged right to be parents, even when

Mother Nature denies this hypothesis.

There can be many "adverse events" - for

example the switching of embryos - but they

are all labeled as the sign of hypocritical

'"obstruction by Catholics." Actually, all

practices of in vitro fertilization,

heterogonous but also homologous, require

rigorous not to say severe, precautions that

have nothing to do with religious beliefs.

The freedom of thought that animates and

supports presumed parental rights has

necessarily objective and inviolable limits to

the right of the unborn who at least "should"

be able to have the freedom to know his/her

genetic origin, especially for health related

reasons. We need a rule of international

order to legally solve the conflict between

the interest and anonymity of gamete

donors and the interest of the newborn to

have the necessary information on the

genome map of the natural parents (if this is

proves essential for any diagnosis and

treatment), but also to know the identity of

the donor. To pretend that assisted

procreation is carried out without there

being a guarantee of respect of some

essential controls of public importance, is to

deny that the unborn child has a series of

rights at the international level, at least on

paper, that are recognized and protected.

It is necessary to check that couples

accessing assisted reproduction are

adequately informed and give valid, non-

negotiable consent according to situations

that could arise from there in 9 months

(divorce, quarrels, and various precarious

situations of the couple). There must be a

need to check with the utmost seriousness

the "quality" ing to the unborn genetic

diseases and, at the same time, very strict

rules, must prevent that through the

heterogonous donation the door to eugenics

may not be opened.

In many countries of the world there is an

"extravagant" category of "gamete donors

for a fee" that is, sperm or oocytes. It does

not take long to figure out what and how

many pathological problems that often arise,

thanks to this grotesque and dangerous

category. Genetic siblings risk meeting and

falling in love, for example. Or a young

donor about twenty years later who meets a

beautiful woman he thinks might be the love

of his life and discovers instead that she is

his daughter!

It is necessary that the privacy of the donor

be guaranteed - but how? It goes without

saying that this privacy vanishes at birth if a

child is born of a European couple with

physical features that are typically African or

Asian. And then? The crux of the matter is

neither medical nor legal, but it comes from

pure selfishness disguised as love of

parenthood.

This is not meant to be an insult to all

infertile couples, far from it. The pain,

humiliation, anguish and the terrible eternal

hope that accompanies the daily life of

those looking for a child, which of course

will never happen, cannot be understood

unless experienced personally. But this

condition does not have to be heavy

anesthetic capable of rendering dormant

prospective parents. A child is not just one

to whom you give birth, but it is whom who

you love and you learn to love day by day,

hour by hour, moment by moment, even if

born of others. Considering the new

procreative rights as fundamental is

dangerous, if you do not take into account

the fact that the fundamental rights of the

unborn also should also be considered, as

are the rights of the child that is born

through artificial insemination.

Common sense, lucidity and genuine love

for a child are the only things that can draw

the right path.

rosaria.elefante@virgilio.it

Ecological Education

A Future to be Constructed

Julia Arciniegas - Martha Séïde

In his recent keynote address the Lutheran

theologian J. Moltmann, shared an

interesting tale: "Two planets meet in the

universe. The first asks, “How are you?".

The other replies: "Pretty bad. I'm sick. I

have homo sapiens. "The first replies, "I'm

sorry. It is a bad thing. I had it too, but rest

easy, it passes!” It ends with an open

question: Is this is the new perspective on

global affairs for humanity, this human

planetary disease passes because mankind

is destroying itself, or will it pass so that the

human race will become wise and heal the

wounds it has inflicted on the planet “Earth”

so far "? ". Having reviewed some theories

about the God-man-world relationship the

author brings out the trend of the new eco-

theology that presents the earth as our

"home": "Humanity is part of a constantly

evolving universe. Our home, the Earth,

provides living space for a community of

living things, unique and multifaceted ... To

protect the capacity for life, the variety and

beauty of the earth is a sacred duty "(Earth

Charter 2000).

Ecology and the common good To address the current ecological crisis a new ecological paradigm supported by a clear conception of the common good and common goods is necessary. The common good does not consist in the simple sum of the particular goods of each subject of a social entity. Belonging to everyone and to each person, it is and remains “common”, because only together is it possible to

attain it, increase it and safeguard its

effectiveness, also with regard also to the

future. (Compendium of the Social

Doctrine of the Church -CDSC-, 164). The

common goods are the resources that

enable the individual to exercise his/her

right to the full development of the human

person. They are common, belong to

everyone, therefore the community, no one

can claim exclusive rights on them. They

are to be administered from the principle of

solidarity; they incorporate the dimension

of the future and must be governed in the

interests of future generations. In this

sense they are a patrimony of humanity,

and each person must be in condition to

use and defend them.

Demands for the common good We realize the importance of a benefit for society when there is a risk that a resource is subtracted from the use of the community. The common good requires the integral promotion of the person in respect to his/her fundamental rights. These demands concern above all a commitment to peace, the organization of the State's powers, a sound juridical system, the protection of the environment, and the provision of essential services to all, some of which are at the same time human rights: food, housing, work, education and access to culture, transportation, basic health care, the freedom of communication and expression, and the protection of religious freedom. Nor must one forget the contribution that every nation is required in

duty to make towards a true worldwide

cooperation for the common good of the

whole of humanity and for future

generations (cf CDSC, 166)

To meet these needs we need a

commitment to education that focuses on

three coordinates: participation, sharing and

responsibility. Participation in the

protection of creation means declaring

self in favor of life, it is standing at the

side of those who undertake guaranteeing

the sustainability of the planet,it is taking

on the entrustment of "thinking globally,

acting locally."

Sharing is an act of participation, but at a

deeper level, it is a conscious act of

involvement; it means going out of oneself

in a giving and receiving that enriches and

puts into play different skills for the good

of all. The sense of responsibility is the

moving force of the commitment so that

things will change for the better. With

regard to the planet it means adopting

measures at the global level to insure that

the ecosystem earth will not be consumed

and/or destroyed (cf Cem Mondialità,

June-July 2013 Dossier). The Vietnamese

monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, who was asked

what we should do to save our world

answered: “More than anything else, we

must listen within ourselves to the cry of

the Earth weeping."

The Ecological footprint

An interesting indicator of the impact

that our lifestyle has on the earth is the

"ecological footprint". Development, in

fact, is sustainable when the needs of

the present generation do not

compromise the ability of future

generations to meet their own needs.

The ecological footprint relates lifestyles

of a population with the "piece of land"

(be it land or water) required to produce

in a sustainable manner all the

resources it consumes, and to absorb

the waste. If the bio-productive space

required is greater than what is

available, we can reasonably say that

the rate of consumption is not

sustainable. The ecological footprint is

now considered a good indicator of the

sustainability of consumption, but it is

merely a means, not the solution to the

innumerable environmental damages

caused by humans. We must begin with

ourselves, changing from a lifestyle too

oriented to the production of waste and

pollution and transform the current

consumption patterns into others that

can make us think about the future

without fear (cf.

http://www.instituteforthefuture.it).

Shadows

Education

The best investment for the future

"Modern society will find no solution to the ecological problem unless it takes a serious look at its lifestyle. (...). Austerity, temperance, self-discipline must inform everyday life "(John Paul II, 1990). To build the future, it is urgent to educate young generations in the culture of sustainability, from childhood. Only then can we foster a real change in behavior, choices and lifestyles that create a better future, one that is richer, healthier, and equal for all. There are many tools available to teachers and students offered by the International Association "World Wide Fund for Nature" (World Wide Fund for Nature). We refer to their website for a comparison and possible sources of inspiration for preparing a draft Environmental Education (cf http://www.wwf.it/).

Arianna’s Line RESILIENCE

Maria Rossi What is it ?

In her Circular In Preparation for General Chapter XXIII (p.29), Mother Yvonne proposed resilience as an attitude "of those who accept trials as a sign of faithfulness." Several Sisters, then, o questioned themselves on the meaning of the term. Other persons, however, when asked about what is meant by the term resilience, remained puzzled. Although in recent decades the study and scientific research on this reality are very developed and its findings are of great interest, people still do not know. Perhaps, given the contrast with the current permissiveness of a thousand adaptations, there is a struggle to find ways of dissemination. The term resilience comes from metallurgy. In dictionaries it is defined as "the ability of a metal to withstand sudden shock without breaking." Resilient is the opposite of fragile. "Etymologically resilience is derived from the Latin resalio, or salio. Someone proposed a suggestive link between the original meaning of resalio, which also defined the gesture as “getting back in the boat” after it had been overturned by the force of the sea, and the actual use in the field of psychology: both terms indicate the attitude of moving forward without surrendering, despite difficulties. Resilience has been called “the art of getting back in a boat that has been overturned” "When life overturns our boat, some drown; others fight valiantly to get back on. In ancient times the gesture of climbing back on board the overturned boats was defined by the term resalio. Perhaps the name of the quality of those who never lose hope and continue to struggle against adversity, resilience comes from here. " Scientific research in neuroscience and psychology, says "it is a certainty that humans are programmed to deal successfully with difficulties and stress, and in this field they are much stronger than is commonly believed. [...]

we are descended from people who have survived a multitude of predators, wars, famines, migrations, diseases and natural disasters, and who have transmitted their genes to us. " Where does it come from? Today’s society, through massive advertising, tends to make people believe that the use of that easy chair, homeopathic remedies, supplements, psychotropic drugs, the use of creams and balms, frequenting gyms, using swimming pools, wellness centers, the use of experts serve to make you happy, to eliminate stress and to overcome difficulties. The possibilities that society offers, used when necessary, can be of help and relief. Despising them might be presumptuous. But to believe that they produce what the lies of advertising claim, would be a boring naïvete. No product, no expert, no health center can eliminate the stress and difficulties that life poses. It is the person who, in the knowledge

that she has received a basicgiftedness

is able to deal with difficulties and

stress, and also able to learn how to

strengthen it and improve it, can

effectively deal with the negative events

she encounters in life and achieve

unimagined goals. Fortunately, the majority

of human beings and even Sisters tend to

be resilient, that is, to adapt and overcome

the most severe adversity. "Among the

people directly involved in the attacks on the

Twin Towers, for example, only a small part

developed serious psychological disorders."

Characteristics of the resilient person

The resilient person usually exhibits some

unmistakable psychological characteristics.

She is optimistic and tends to 'read' the

negative events as temporary and

limited. Already Epictetus, an ancient

Greek philosopher, had said: "It is not facts

that disturb men, but the judgments that

men formulate about the facts." It is the

reading, interpretation or cognitive

evaluation of events, that is, the tendency to

see the proverbial half-full or half-empty

glass, which makes the difference. If a

person thinks that a certain malaise lasts a

few days and then moves on, she feels it

more tolerable than believing or fearing it is

permanent and insurmountable. Faced with

an obstacle, a failure, a loss, a person

thinks that she cannot make it, or that the

world has it in for her, she tends to abandon

an undertaking or goes into depression. If,

however, she interprets the difficulty, or loss

as a challenge, she tends to continue in her

intent until she breaks down or goes ahead

peacefully appreciating what she has left.

Scientific research has established that the

cognitive assessment, i.e., the interpretation

of what is happening, also has concrete

consequences on physiological functioning.

Placebos, interpreted by patients as

effective drugs, generally achieve positive

effects because "emotions and thoughts

change the functioning of the body by

means of so-called ubiquitous

neurotransmitters” (24) and puts her in a

position to respond positively.

She believes that she possesses a great

degree of control over her life and

environment.

If some affair turns against her, a resilient

individual, does not think that it depends on

external things, such as bad luck or lack of

help from others, but that it depends on her.

Anyone who believes that her well-being

depends on others, on luck, or on who is in

charge, or on society, waits for others to

help her, that luck will come to meet her,

that society will get better remains and

passive, dependent, whining. However, the

one who believes that success depends on

herself, a resilient person, feels responsible,

and tries to find ways and means to enable

her to get where she wants to go.

Apologizing for inappropriate behavior with

the fact of being with difficult people is an

attempt to save her self-esteem, but it will

not improve anything

She is strongly motivated to reach those

objectives she has set for herself

The resilient person, being motivated

internally, that is, wanting to achieve a goal

because she considers it important for her

life, when faced with difficulties, struggle,

does not give up, resists, tries all possible

ways, waits even years, but arrives.

However, those who make choices for

reasons that are primarily external, that is

because friends or family do it, or because

it becomes important for her to escape a

situation, in the face of struggle and

difficulty generally tend to leave .

She tends to see difficulties and changes

as a challenge and as an opportunity

rather than a threat

The author, to whom I refer, says that

during a course taught by him, he had

observed a participant who seemed

particularly able to handle stress. Asked to

what he attributed his ability , the

respondent replied that since childhood his

father had taught him that: "Every obstacle

is a benefit." That proverb had become a

constant attitude for him, a fixed element

within his interpretation of the facts. "Every

time I ran into a problem, rather than

focusing on bad luck or the unhappiness of

his destiny, he had learned to see a

challenge that would make him stronger."

And he acted accordingly.

Faced with defeats and frustrations she

does not lose hope.

Even the most resilient person can come up

against a defeat or an objective

impossibility. In these cases she is able to

reasonably and humbly accept the

impossibility, and, without losing hope,

adjust the approach and find appropriate

goals.

Is this still possible?

A resilient attitude is generally learned in

one’s family, during the early years of life

when parents, trusting un the possibilities of

their children, allow them to experience

difficulties proportionate to their strength. In

an article of this year’s April issue Salesian

Bulletin, Pino Pellegrino calls the attitude of

parents who say, "My son does not have to

lack anything; we do not want him to suffer

what we have suffered ... "," the big scam.”

And what they say, according to him, is the

“insidious and poisoned litany" of a culture

that has infected the parents of the latest

generation. However, those who have had

the misfortune of having too much as a

young person and has been able to practice

facing difficulties as something normal,

given the genetic heritage that one has,

even with more effort, can always attempt to

develop it.

In our communities the majority of people

are very resilient, although at different

levels. There are, however, even those who

believe that to be as things should, one

would need an animator who is

understanding, respectful, responsible; a

good Sister, intuitive, educated; be willing,

attentive, involved with young people and

children. Of course, it would be easier to live

with people who have all these qualities, but

that is not what life is, even in convents.

Waiting for someone else to be

understanding ,happy, respectful, means

making our own life dependant too much

on others and precludes many possibilities.

To live well as adults who are aware and

responsible in human communities,

religious or not, it requires a great deal of

resilience for both young people as well as

for the elderly. A young person who is

religious or married will not succeed in

being him / herself and faithful to their

vocation and mission if not joining together

the power of resilience with that of grace

Even for an elderly person to live peacefully

in the difficult "existential periphery" of old

age, he/she needs extra grace and

resilience. With luck and grace, in our

communities and among the people we

have known, there are shining examples of

resilience vested with joyful holiness, which

is evangelical, and Salesian.1

rossi_maria@libero.it

1 For this article I referred especially to the study

of Pietro TRABUCCHI, I resist therefore I am: Examples of those who are champions of psychological resilience and how they live happily with stress

SYS-Education

Educational Spirituality

Edited by Mara Borsi

In the name of education "Salesian

Spirituality" asks all men and women of

good will, and also public institutions to

commit themselves to the advancement

of the person and to political and cultural

transformation. By choosing to play out

our hope in education, we know that we

are being faithful to the Lord according

to the heart of Don Bosco and Mother

Mazzarello. We believe in the efficacy of

poor means for personal and collective

regeneration, and we confide in the

positive energies of human persons for

regeneration.

At the school of Don Bosco and Mary

Mazzarello those who live Salesian

Spirituality make education a passion, a

style of their presence, the preferred means

for promotional activity. We organize our

resources around education. Those who

love life and want to have it as fully and

abundantly as proposed in God’s plan,

encounter different situations of death on a

daily basis . They disturb and provoke us.

This is why we seek effective remedies and

collaboration with the people sharing the

same passion to ensure the necessary

structural and cultural transformations, in a

solidarity that invests, in the first instance,

those whose lives have been touched more

violently. This need runs through the daily

life of every Christian who authentically

commits to the following of Jesus.Social and

political commitment is not simply an “extra”

in Christian spirituality; it is a constitutive

element. The ways may differ in the

measure of personal and collective

vocation, but the unique and undeniable

task remains for those who believe in Jesus

as Lord.

Inside historical circumstances

Don Bosco worked moved by charity and

pursued a “political intent in an impartial

way; he did not enter into the polemics of

his time. He prepared citizens and persons

who were responsible, and , therefore

worked for the res pubblica in all the

countries to which his work spread. The

entire world was the place of his mission, in

the awareness that the eschatological age

was an extension of time in history. "Don

Bosco refused disembodied spiritual action,

an abstract expression of faith, one that was

not interested in the lives of people of flesh

and bone. It was precisely this faith that

did not distance itself from life’s reality,

kneading himself into it, in a mix made up of

politics, ideology, economics, society,

culture, education "(Motto, Spiritual

Exercises 2012He promoted a humanizing

education in the full sense that evangelizes,

creates conditions, and accompanies an

explicit and harmonious spiritual growth.

Today Pope Francis reiterates that the whole Church cannot do without the breath of prayer,

and at the same time says, "We must reject the temptation of a selfish , individualistic

spirituality, one that is not in accord with the demands of charity, as well as the logic the

Incarnation "(EG, n. 262).

An experience for all

The deep conviction that Salesian Spirituality is a suitable proposal for all is evident in the

pastoral work with children and adolescents at risk and social disadvantage. I had the good

fortune to work for two years in Sister Maria Romero Center of Estelí, Nicaragua (2009-2011).

This experience profoundly influenced my perception of the effectiveness and timeliness of

Salesian Spirituality which in relationship with people in growth becomes an educational

method. Children and adolescents suffering hardships are not always easy to deal with and/or

understand. They are used to counting only on themselves, to surviving in a world of work that

exploits them, assuming responsibility greater than themselves. Faced with these situations, it is

necessary to keep in mind the logic of small steps, waiting patiently for the time of growth to kick

in.

The experience of getting to know personally adolescents at risk, taking the time to listen, to

meet their basic needs such as food, clothing, and education, opens up the possibility for

unexpected changes.

In 2010 The Center began the experience of social service volunteers thanks to a group of high

school students from well-to do families who were attending Mary Help of Christians Catholic

School. Together with the authorities of the school we prepared the young volunteers to work

with our children and adolescents in order to foresee and prevent eventual conflicting

relationships.

The experience proved to be extremely positive on both sides. The young volunteers marveled

at how the children and adolescents of Sr.Maria Romero Center were satisfied with what they

received from life notwithstanding poverty, difficulties, and personal limitations.

At the conclusion of her time of service a young high school student said to me: “Sister, look at

this little girl: she has only one pair of sandals that she uses for everything…to walk, to go to

school in the rain or on sunny days…and she is always smiling, speaks to me with enthusiasm,

and I always find her happy when I arrive. I, who have everything I want, shoes, clothing, and

every kind of thing, am not capable of looking beyond and giving meaning to my life…I don’t

know how to be happy with little things.”

The reaction of the young people encouraged us as a community to share the wealth of our

charism through simple formative activities on the Preventive System.

The conviction that in every young person, in every child there is a seed of good, made us take

the gamble on the capacity of transformation present in each of our recipients.

Aracely Mayorga, Nicaragua

Pastora-ly Outside the

Enclosure...with Credibility

Mara Borsi

“Good teacher, what must I do to have

eternal life?”. Jesus answered: “Why do

you call me good? (Mk 10, 17).

The question concerns eternal life, but in

Jewish culture it does not refer to the

afterlife, heaven, but it has to do with a full,

meaningful life, which has a quality that

does not die. In a recent article Eliana

Zanoletti stated: "Faced with the question of

the good life, we adults run the risk of being

embarrassed and mute: we are so

discombobulated by not knowing what a

good life is, one that is happy, fulfilled,

worthy."The young man of the Gospel

addresses a “good teacher” to ask him for

help in not wasting his life, to invest it well,

to make it something good and beautiful.

This is question that today's young people

continue to ask, even if sometimes not in a

direct, explicit way.

We can ask ourselves, “Why does the

young man question Jesus?” Because he

sees the quality of his life. The evidence of

Jesus’ goodness which shines forth through

His words, His gestures, His way of looking

at people, legitimatized the question of the

young man, indeed it is very likely why he

raises it. Perhaps the young man had never

thought that there could be a quality of life,

to which he could aspire, but that rabbi of

Nazareth does, and within his humanity is a

challenge to be good. Jesus' response is

really interesting, unexpected, and almost

disconcerting; it sounds like a reproach:

“Why do you call me good? No one is good

except God alone.”

The only good

The reference to God, the only good, makes

it clear to the young man that the goodness

of Jesus has to do with God’s Will, it draws

from the only good, the Father. The source

of the goodness of the human life of Jesus

is not from Him but from his relationship

with the Father, who is good and makes His

sun rise on everyone, the good and the bad.

At this point it is clear that the question of

the good life is a request we could call

“secular." Everyone wants a good life. This

is a question that implicitly or explicitly all

ask about their lives. Jesus responds to a

human question in a concrete way by His

human life. The "secular" answer is that of

the daily life we see implemented in adults

who are good. This good life in return can

become revelation, spiritual reference to

God, the source of goodness.

“The question about life is secular, but it is

also always religious, because it contains a

yearning for faith, a faith in One who gives

life and guards it. It is the religious question

that has to do with trust in life. The answer,

when it is really secular, can also become

religious when it comes from a good person

who allows to shine forth the relationship

with God in that it makes her life beautiful

"(Castegnaro-Dal Piaz-Biemmi 2014).

The way

Today it seems there is no other way for the

proclamation of the Gospel to young people

except through a human proposal that

reawakens an openness to the only One

who is worthy of our desire. Young people

today with their weaknesses are, as in every

age, "capable of God", sensitive to a

spiritual quest if they meet people living a

good life, inhabited by the Spirit.

Furthermore, the action of the Spirit of

Jesus is not to make us religious, but to

make us human, to give shape to our

humanity in the form of good life, and for

this that is eternal in Jesus. It is a life of

sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters. Pope

Francis is helping the whole Church, by his

teaching through gestures and words, not to

stand at the window of history but to guide

it, to actually being a travel companion,

ready to provide the gift of the Gospel but

also to it receive from other people today,

whether or not they are believers. Young

people are particularly attentive to those

who by their very existence affirm that life is

worth living, and give themselves to build

communion. It is the lack of desire that

paralyzes existence to the point of wanting

to take it away. Another crucial point to be

addressed today is to educate to desire and

at the same time to educate to the desire

which, if left to itself, may be unrealistic or

be leveled into simple “want”.

To arouse, generate, reawaken

Young people today are more incredulous

than ever before, and not even more

superficial. The crisis of communicating the

faith refers to the entire Christian

community, and without exception, to a

renewed commitment on the part of all to

listening to the Gospel. Youth ministry today

seems to be called to renew itself in the

sense of arousing, generating, reawakening

life in all its dimensions: physical,

intellectual, emotional, spiritual.

The distinctive sign of every truly Christian

community is that of being present in the

places where life is precarious, threatened;

of being close to those men and women

who suffer, to those whom history leaves on

the margins or excludes and there, around

"the rejected" to raise up a dynamic of

solidarity. For a multitude of young people,

women and men, the cultural expressions of

Christian faith are incomprehensible. A new

approach from the words and gestures of

solidarity, closeness, tenderness,

compassion is possible.The future of many

Christian communities will be played out on

this ground. It is important to leave the

church enclosures, but it will not be enough

to go out, it is necessary that there be a

renewed listening to the Word of God, a

renewed relationship with Jesus that

inspires to go out to non believers, not as

“keepers” of the truth, but as bearers of a

gift that is offered with respect and

sympathy for the doubts and difficulties of

those stand before us.

mara@cgfma.org

A Glance at the World

The Strength of Life

Anna Rita Cristaino

Upon arriving in the airport in Brazil, one is

met by a welcome sign with the message:

Brazil, Everyone’s Country. In fact, the

geographic greatness of the Nation has a

variety peoples and ethnic groups: from the

indigenous people who inhabit the Amazon

region,to the descendants of the

Portuguese and the ancient colonizers, to

theAfricans who arrived as slaves during the

colonial period, to the many immigrants

who, decade after decade, have occupied

very specific areas of the country.

Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are the two

most highly populated cities of the nation.

Large numbers of people, many individuals

with their unique life stories, constitute the

entire humankind of the country. Particular

histories are original, and unrepeatable.

That's why it is beautiful to look at the world

through the eyes of those who live there,

those who spend their lives on the roads of

this planet, and with their being help to

create something new. The people whom

you meet are fully immersed in reality, with

all its contradictions.The history of the

country is perhaps best understood by

looking at the daily life - ordinary - of men

and women who every day fight for their

rights, who resist abuses to defend their

dignity and courageously choose to no

longer afraid.

A Belford Roxo, a bedroom community for

many who work in Rio de Janeiro, we met

Aloà who told us her story: “Unfortunately,

my father has problems with alcohol. I do

not have much contact with him. My sisters

are all older. I live alone with my mother.

Without anyone's help she has put in place

our home. She helps me a lot, sustains me

in my studies, and gives me support in

everything I do. " For the Daughters of Mary

Help of Christians being inserted is a

ministry choice that involves living and

working within a human community as part

of it, drawing close to it, knowing and

sharing daily life with courage, also sharing

problems, and social and cultural progress.

A Belford Roxo there is an inserted FMA

Community that carries out the social work

"Growing Together", growing up together.

Aloà began to take part in the project at age

9: "It was there that my life changed. It all

started with getting to know the Sisters, who

were working on the streets, where they

welcomed neighborhood children to play

with them. "

Aloà has always loved to dance,

demonstrating uncommon qualities. Already

at 10 years of age she was given the

opportunity to deepen her study of dance,

and then make it a profession. She tells us:

“Encouraged by the Sisters I began to

study, because I had many doubts. Today I

attend the first year of a course for physical

education teachers. What I hope and wish

for is to have a place to teach dance, not

only for children and adolescents who can

pay, but also for those who are not able to

do so. Children do not have many

opportunities, and I would like to help them

through this project. "

A Belford Roxo the FMA operate in almost

all areas of daily life of the people as

maternal, presence that is also active in the

Church. They have projects of human and

cultural advancement directed toward young

people and families in collaboration with

local institutions, and they carry out

evangelization projects in conjunction with

the local Church and the Basic Ecclesial

Communities. In speaking about the FMA

Aloà says: "Thanks to the Sisters who are

always on the side of young people,

showing a journey of faith, we do not get

lost. They encourage us to follow a path of

faith, helping us to clarify our doubts. They

are true friends who walk with us. "The

presence of the FMA is very active with the

project "Growing together". It is a socio-

educational project involving about 130

children and adolescents between 7-17

years, which includes cultural workshops,

pedagogy, play, and sports. In speaking of

the Belford Roxo community the FMA say:

"It is enough for us that there are young

people in trouble, who are poor, who do not

have cultural opportunities, free time

activities; they are welcomed here.”

Diadema, instead, is a city adjacent to the

metropolitan area of Sao Paulo. The FMA

have a community of three sisters who

share life and faith with all the people of the

district. Here we met Viviane, a 20 year old

girl who has always lived with her mother,

three sisters, grandmother and stepfather. It

was the presence of the latter, an alcoholic

who was always hostile to his stepdaughter,

that did not foster a climate of peace in the

family.

She says: "When I was little he attacked

me, and sometimes even beat me. My

mother did not agree, but could not

intervene. My grandmother was always

willing to help us, to give us support; and he

did not interfere. At first, when I was very

young, I felt alone, I thought that I was the

cause of the quarrels, and I thought I was

the only guilty culprit. " With the onset of

adolescence, different problems came along

that she remembers with pain. "There was

an empty room with toys. With great

difficulty I convinced my mother to let me

and my sister sleep in that room, because I

had always dreamed of having a room of

my own. After a short while that we had

been sleeping in that room, one night, I

realized that he was sitting beside my bed

wearing only underwear, and he was trying

to touch me with his hand. I moved and he

stopped and went back to his room. My

room was across from his. From that night

on I could not fall asleep because I was

afraid that he might come back and try to do

something to me. And he did try. During the

following days I was afraid. I did not know if

I could tell someone or if it was better to

keep quiet about it. I did not know that if

doing so was going to make the situation

with my mother worse, because at that time,

my mom and I did not talk much, we did not

understand each other and fought often.

"But one day the stepfather argued with her

mother, and she was now a teenager, tried

to defend her mother and the man

threatened that he would go away and not

come back. He had a gun and threatened to

kill her. "When I said I'd call the police”,

continued Viviane, “he took the cell phone

and threw it to the ground, breaking it. He

told me to leave home, and if I did not do so

he would kill me. From that time on my mom

was very afraid. When he left to go to work,

my mother did not know what to do. She

looked for many people to take me in.

Eventually she spoke with the community of

the FMA who immediately said that I would

be welcomed into their home, but my

mother would have to find a way to deal

with my father, because he could not throw

out a daughter of the house, a child who still

a minor.” With the support of the community

of the Sisters Viviane‘s mother found the

courage to report what happened in her

house, finding justice for her daughter.

Looking back on everything that she lived

through Viviane says: “Strangely I do not

feel any hatred. I do not feel anger; I do not

feel anything. I just do not want to be near

him. During the time that I have been with

the Sisters I have learned many things. I

have a community that continually supports

me. I always say that I have a very large

wonderful family who were always there

when I needed them. Today the climate is

better at home. For the future, I think I’ll get

married, build a family, and have children. "

Viviane and her mother have had support

not only from the Sisters, but also from

others who belong to the Basic Ecclesial

Communities, a community formed 50 years

ago that still retains a sense of belonging

and brotherhood among its members.

Sr. Maria, Sr. Iracema, Sr. Manoracy, have

been living in this neighborhood for many

years. They know the families, their stories,

their joys and their suffering. They have

accompanied generations of young people.

They have sustained them in the faith and in

the protection of their rights and dignity.

Theirs is the testimony of a consecrated life

that shows its fullness becoming a

realization of the Gospel and school of

immense humanity.

arcristaino@cgfma.org

Walk the Talk

Participating

Patricia Bertagnini

To Participate- a word that means at the

same time to take part in and to be a part of,

and, giving and receiving, basically, hold in

itself the idea of an exchange. Can the Net

guarantee its existence?

The problem of participation-because it does not only deal with a resource but also with its critical aspects-implies a cultural action that has as its aim the formation of the individual and collective consciousness aware of its potential, of the benefit that derives from the contamination with the fact that it belongs to all, and has the urgency of an effective decentralization. Taking part , in this sense, becomes a concrete opportunity for sharing equitably the power, (i.e., the service) and enhancing the aggregation that comes from below, without forgetting that the discussion on the objectives and ways of participative dynamics does not guarantee, in itself, a real support for participation The example of the Network

During recent years we have seen the

development of protests and claims that

have involved the components of society,

especially the new media, the Internet, the

Web, social networks such as Facebook

and Twitter, and have taken control of the

management of communications, favoring

new forms of participation and giving

innovation to those that are traditional. With

the advent of Web 2, furthermore, new

transformations have been realized, that are

even stronger forms of relationships of

persons among themselves. In Web 2.0,

interaction between those who publish

information and those who receive it has

become “live.”

Political parties, social groups, ecclesial

institutions have had to face these new

forms of communication and consensus

research, even though finding consensus

for one’s own proposals remains the aim of

these subjects, the way with which one

seeks to reach an objective have changed,

and it is necessary to take into the account

the requests of people who, every more,

expect the abandonment of languages that

are airtight and attitudes that are distant

from real life. Yet, even though all may

seem to be paradoxical, the actual structure

of Web 2.0 has little participation; social

networks, in their actual form, lean toward

the economic interests of proprietary

corporations, and are anything but social.

The greater part of content produced on

platforms such as Facebook, is visualized

only by narrow circles of contact that tend

toward the homogenous.

And then, on social networks there is no

place for disagreement. On Facebook there

is no place to click on a button for “I don’t

like it” and there are only two places to

express an opinion: like (thumbs up) or

dislike (thumbs down).

This means that only one thought is

imposed on the reader, thus eliminating

every participative action.

Participation means taking part.

Transferring the concept of participation to

the life of the Church, which is by its very

nature a hierarchical institution, is not a

simple task. However, beyond the real

possibility of being part of the communion of

the Church, and personally assuming the

burden, the Magisterium of Pope Francis

reminds us of the responsibility to which

every Christian is called. “While throughout

the world, and especially in some countries,

different forms of wars and conflicts are re-

appearing, we Christians insist on the

proposal of recognizing the other person, of

healing wounds, building bridges, forging

relationships and helping to carry one

another’s burdens (Gal 6,2)… In this way

the thirst for the participation of many

people who want to be builders of social

and cultural progress is manifested”

(Evangelii Gaudium, 67).

Social but not excessively so

On Wikipedia there is a list of emerging

social networks (approximately 206), each

with its own characteristics and audience,

which offer themselves as “alternatives” to

Facebook. Here are but a few to watch out

for, since they are rapidly spreading among

young people

SOBRR, friendships here last 24 hours,

unless the users decide otherwise.

SECRET, an app composed of anonymous

messages and images (a user name is not

required) that allows for venting, gossiping,

confiding without ever having to reveal who

you are.

OoVoo, an app (available on Facebook)

that supports group conversations-through

video, voice and messages-of up to 12

participants. It is free and young people use

it to chat, study, and do homework in a

collective manner.

SHOTS is for those who have a “selfie”

passion. It allows for the taking and sharing

of photos and is also used to post

conversations (public or private) composed

of images and scripts.

PHEED is an innovation in the social

network world. The posts are paid. One

can create texts, video, music, and other

types of data and asks user to pay a

subscription to read messages.

Women who Help to Heal

Debbie Ponsaran

The Church has placed enormous emphasis

on the role of women at this hour of history.

The culture of life simply cannot be built

without the influence of women. Pope John

Paul II said, "It is necessary that the widest

possible space is open to women in all

areas of culture, economics, politics and

ecclesial life itself, so that all human society

is increasingly enriched by the gifts proper

to masculinity and femininity" (Angelus

message, July 23, 1995). The study of the

"Global Gender Gap Index 2013 - World

Economic Forum" testifies that women are

getting more and more recognized in their

contributions in many countries; the top five

of which are Iceland, Finland, Norway,

Sweden, and the Philippines. The study

states in its preface, “Countries and

companies can be competitive only if they

develop, attract and retain the best talent,

both male and female."

The Archetypal Energy of a Mother

The feminine is the matrix of creation. God

has endowed her with the gift of

motherhood. The woman participates in the

greatest mystery of bringing a soul into life

and in the process, she learns to wait, to

listen, to be receptive. Maternal orientation

builds cohesive, life-affirming communities.

It is maternal influence that promotes unity

within families and is the beginning of peace

in the whole of the human family. Think

about what good could happen if peace

talks in conflicting nations would involve

women in the decision-making level!

Women tend to put the needs of others

above their own. They nurture others and

rejoice in the success of those they love,

and experience guilt and depression when

their behavior violates these norms (Gilligan

1982). In a study reported by "Science

Daily," researchers from MIT, Carnegie

Mellon University and Union College

examined levels of collective intelligence in

groups and found that those containing

more women demonstrated greater "social

sensitivity "-- the ability to perceive other

members' emotions -- and thus performed

better in complex undertakings. In

contemplating Mary, we find the fullness of

motherhood which does not only rely on

logic but also on intuition, relatedness, and

faith. The Church's motherhood and

spiritual motherhood both find in Mary a

perfect example to be imitated first of all

because of her being the Mother of God.

Healing the world

The gains that women have made

professionally and culturally make them and

their "feminine genius" catalysts of societal

change. Global Sisters Report

(globalsistersreport.org) is a website

dedicated to news and information about

Catholic sisters and their missions with

special highlights in the issues of peace,

integrity of creation, equality, migration, and

human trafficking. Sr. Susan Rose Francois

wrote in an article posted in the site: "There

is so much human-induced suffering

happening in the world these days… There

is also much human-supported goodness

happening in the world these days… I find

myself even more hopeful and excited about

the potential for small scale religious life,

with its mingling of charismas and greater

movement and freedom to meet the unmet

needs of the human and earth community. Perhaps God is inviting us to be critical yeast so that we can help spread the good stuff of the Gospel for generations to come."

The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (www.wilpfinternational.org) is one of the world's oldest peace organizations. Founded in 1915 by thirteen hundred women from Europe and North America opposed to what became known as World War I. They have long been involved in peace work, analyzing the causes and consequences of conflict, methods of conflict resolution and peace building, and conditions necessary for human security.

Medicamondial (www.medicamondiale.org) is a non-governmental women organization based in Germany which stands up for women and girls in war and crisis zones throughout the world. Their support for the culture of life is clearly evident in their words during the Kosovo crisis: "We have lived through war. We know what it is like to be attacked, to grieve, and to feel anger. We understand the urge for revenge is strong. And we know that it must not be given in to. We know that a violent response can only bring more violence,not justice. It kills more innocent victims and gives birth to new avengers."

The Nobel Women's Initiative (nobelwomensinitiative.org) was established in 2006 by six women Nobel Peace Prize laureates and later, other women laureates joined the initiative. "The Vision of the Nobel Women’s Initiative is a world transformed, a nonviolent world of security, equality and well-being for all."

The Maternal Face of God Many years

ago, the famous composer of Catholic

liturgical songs, Dan Schutte, released the

song entitled "God of Love." A line in the

song moved me the first time I heard it: "All

who love are born of God, our maker and

our mother."

The Bible is replete with images of God as

mother and other female attributes. In

Isaiah (42:14) God "cries out as a woman

in labor." To the psalmist (131:1-2) God is a

nursing woman: "Surely I have composed

and quieted my soul like a weaned child

rests against his mother." In Hosea (11:3-4)

God claims to be a mother who takes Israel

in her arms.

The woman who heals is also the woman

who loves humankind in her capacity as an

image of God.

debbieponsaran@cgfma.org

Music

The Hip Hop World

Mariano Diotto

At this time Hip hop is the most popularly

used word in the youth world. One would

think that it is a modern or technological

word, but it is not. Hip hop is a cultural,

complex, multi-faceted, movement, which,

at this time, is able to attract a large

audience. It was born in 1973 in the Bronx,

New York. In the absence of meeting

places, the street became a place where

young African Americans met to dance,

sing, and draw. The media noticing this

phenomenon in the eighties and nineties

validated it including it into the mainstream

culture, generating a massive commercial

and social phenomenon, revolutionizing the

world of music, dance, clothing, and design.

There are five elements that distinguish hip

hop culture.

First: Master of Cerimonies MC is the

rapper, i.e. one who entertains the audience

with his rap rhymes. There may also be

multiple rappers who are engaged in a

battle where the aim is to discredit the

rhymes of the other participants in order to

receive an ovation from those present. Hip

hop music comes from a mix of American

and Jamaican music on a fairly repetitive

basis of 4/4 time, and are recited where

there are problems and situations of

dissatisfaction and discomfort. The rapper,

in fact, does not have to be a talented

singer since most of the time his song is a

spoken rhythm.

Second: Djing

A key element in hip-hop is the DJ, the one

who provides the rhythm to the rapper

through a back-up track, usually electronic,

where he plays mixing multiple tracks

together, or play some musical interludes

when the rapper stops to take a breath.

Third: Writing

Hip hop culture is not just music but also an

art in which writers play a part. Graffiti is a

way to label a crew or a gang, and was

used primarily in the nineties in the New

York metropolitan area, later spreading to

other walls of the city. The primordial

images were the names and signatures

made with spray paint, but which soon

developed into large and elaborate letters or

faces, complete with shadows so that they

appeared to be in 3D.

Fourth: B-boying

B-boying is a dance style commonly called

break-dancing, but is now called new style

since it is related to house music. It is a

style of dance that involves rapid,

discontinuous movements from each other

(this is why it is called break) with acrobatic

evolution, pirouettes and jumps.

Fifth: Beatboxing

Beatboxing is a vocal technique that allows

one to vocally reproduce the percussion

typical to hip hop. It is considered to be a

full-fledged art in creating melodies and a

beat.

One can well understand why the hip hop

culture has spread so rapidly from America

to all over the world. In each country young

people meet in the street singing, dancing,

drawing, and talking about their problems

and their future. It is the perfect blend of

music, dance, art and way of dressing. It

succeeds in including all the participants of

a "company" without excluding anyone

because even the feminine world has its

part. This is why hip hop has spread rapidly

and has taken different forms in different

countries of the world, emphasizing the

peculiarities, both in the choice of subjects

to be offered (against poverty, injustice, the

rich and corporations, war) and also in

musical melodies proposals.

At this time the leading exponents are (even

though they believe they do not have to be

categorized into a well-defined genre):

Eminem, 50 Cent, Jay-Z, LMFAO, Aloe

Blacc, Black Eyed Peas, Snoop Dogg, Emis

Killa, Guè Pequeno Nesli, Mondo Marcio,

Fabri Fibra, Fedez, J-ax.

This is the music that speaks to young

people, where along with a very catchy

refrain, and is accompanied by a lyrical rap

(many times also full of swear words and

double meanings) that tells of the world of

young people with its possibilities and its

misunderstandings. The adult world has the

task of deciphering this language so as to

better understand the young people with

their problems but also their p

Happy Birthday Don Bosco!

Dear Friends, are you aware that we are

right in the middle of the bicentenary of Don

Bosco’s birth?

What are you doing to commemorate this

birthday which God is giving you to live in

person? I hear your silence well; you have

to realize that my question has caught you

by surprise, admit it...

But I just want to tell you what I thought

about doing to celebrate our Father worthily.

I decided to trust in the words of the Rector

Major during the presentation of the Strenna

this year. He said loud and clear, that to

realize the Salesian charism in our lives we

have to feel in the depths of our person that

passion with which Don Bosco met every

young person.

And so I said to myself: "Dear Camilla,

meeting young people at your age is not the

easiest thing in the world, but you can

cultivate this passion by loving what they

love! And what is most loved by young

people if not technology? ".

Said and Done! I woke up early to my clock

radio that introduced me to the day with

beautiful music that helps me focus; then,

since I am a bit slow, I tune in to my favorite

channel and pray the Rosary. After

breakfast I go to my room, turn on the

computer to read the news online. I browse

through various online newspapers and, of

course, I visit the Institute website.

Sure, it takes time, and when it's time for

lunch, I have just finished responding to my

e-mail. In the afternoon it is naptime, and I

use this opportunity to practice some of the

games that my nephew loaded on to the

Smartphone given to me at Christmas (just

in case I happen to chat with some young

person at oratory). The rest of the evening -

while I do some work - I watch TV, just to

understand what the new generations really

love, sometimes programs are very

interesting and I’m sorry to have to turn it off

when it's time for the practices of piety.

Good thing I have an app on my phone that

allows me to pray vespers without having to

go to chapel ... just a tap on the screen!

Just between the two of us though, there

are those who can’t wait to go to bed for a

“well-deserved” rest. But what should I say

that when I arrive in my bedroom and I feel

the moral obligation to watch at least one

film?

Ah, this blessed technology…we really need

to commit ourselves to be in step with

it…But for the sake of the young people,

there’s no question about it. We must do

this and more

Camilla’s Words